Palm ID Help

teebee · Post by **teebee** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 4:18 pm

I just got back from vacation in Cuba the resort I stayed at had lot of nice Palm's most I could identify Pygmy Date Palm, Mexican Fan Palm, Christmas Palm, Coconut Palm, Triangle Palm, Bottle Palm) But I have 2 I can't identify and somehow the seeds fell into my suit case when I was leaving this morning. The first one is some sort of fan palm (Possibly Bismark It's the first pic) and the fruit on it is about as big as a pear and similar shaped (See Pic#2). The other tree has frut has a sort of heart shaped I stripped off the fruit and the seed is similar to a washington robusta only bigger. (See Pic #3)

I have some more pics of if someone wants I can resize and post of some more including some of the biggest Bottle palm's I ever have seen.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:57 pm

somehow the seeds fell into my suit case when I was leaving this morning

That's a prereq for being a member here....

Look forward to seeing the pics.

Bet Cuba was wonderful!
Barb

teebee · Post by **teebee** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:44 pm

Ok links fixed...

Let me know if anythink looks familiar.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:54 pm

Hi teebee, the first one's definitely a Bismarckia nobilis.
Remote germinator, sends down a huge taproot before you see anything happening at soil level.
Needs very deep narrow pot from day one.

The second one I'm just guessing...some kind of Dypsis maybe.

The ones behind it (yellowish) are Cocos nucifera (coconut palm).

Nice pics...and I'd love to see the gorgeous Bottle Palms.
Since I'd have to go to the compost pile to look at mine

Barb

teebee · Post by **teebee** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:22 pm

Thanks Barb,

Do I just plant the fruit the way it is or is there a pit inside I need to cut to get to? Its so hard as its not in season. I only brought one home with me and don't want to screw it up.

Bottle Palms These were pretty big I don't think I have a pic of the bigest ones probably another 10-15 feet taller than these ones...

In the second picture thats the tree I liberated its fruit from...

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:46 pm

The second one looks liek a kentia palm, and the last ones look liek cuban royal palms

teebee · Post by **teebee** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:52 pm

canadianplant wrote:The second one looks liek a kentia palm, and the last ones look liek cuban royal palms

I forgot about the possibility being Cuban Royal palms dont know why since I was in Cuba and all... Thanks for the correction.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 3:18 pm

Great looking Bottle Palms in the second pic.

plant the fruit the way it is or is there a pit inside I need to cut to get to? Its so hard as its not in season

You have to clean all the fruit/pulp off or the seed will likely rot.
Palm seeds "ripen/mature" mostly in Fall/early winter in the tropics, so you got it "in season".

This will be of interest:
http://www.seeds-bg.com/growguides/bismarkia.htm

Here's a shot of "Bizzie" seeds germinating.
I'm also trying to germinate some this winter. Good luck to us both!!!!
http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=bismarcki ... 1,s:0,i:91

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 3:33 pm

Teebee, this is what I intended to link for you:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=13823

Barb

teebee · Post by **teebee** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 4:24 pm

lucky1 wrote:Here's a shot of "Bizzie" seeds germinating.
I'm also trying to germinate some this winter. Good luck to us both!!!!
http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=bismarcki ... 1,s:0,i:91

Ok how big is that seeds is it as big as a plum? Mine is about big as a plum or kiwi mostly green with a touch of red coming in so it still doesn't look ripe as of yet...

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:13 pm

Approx. 1 inch long by 3/4 of an inch wide, but they vary somewhat.
Stick your fingernail into your seed...if you can, then you need to remove all that "pulp" layer (that's the fruit).

Once you get all that off, the seed covering is like a walnut, hard as a rock.
Then you soak it in warm water, changing the water daily, for 2 to 3 days.

Then either into a baggie (not my preferred method) with slightly damp moss and/or perlite and kept in a warm spot.
Don't need light to germinate so any warm spot is fine.

Can take up to a year or longer, but most fresh seeds should sprout within 4-6 weeks.
As soon as you see anything coming out

, gently pot it up without damaging the emerging root.
Never let it dry out, but too much water can cause fungus.
Saran wrap over the top helps keep humidity in until something happens above the soil.

And there's quite a bit of variation in seed that's ready...anything from dark green to dark brown, so can't go by colour.
Usually this time of year seeds are all maturing.

Barb

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